1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to silicone-dissolving and solubilizing agents.
2. Description of the Related Art
Silicones are widely used in various fields, including industries, cosmetics and foodstuffs, and various kinds of silicones are on the market. For example, silicones are used as a water repelling agent, n anti-foaming agent, a mold release agent, and contained as an additive in a cosmetic article and a paint. Also, silicones are used as a lubricant. Various kinds of silicones are known to the art including, for example, general silicones such as dimethyl polysiloxane, methyl phenyl polysiloxane, and methyl hydrogen polysiloxane; various kinds of modified silicones; and copolymer type silicones. The types of silicones are also being diversified in accordance with expansion of the field of use of the silicones. Further, dependent on the use, silicones having a very wide range of viscosity have been developed. In fact, some of the silicones have such a low viscosity as only several centistokes (cs), and other silicones have such a high viscosity as about one million centistokes. The solubility of the silicone in another oily material is dependent greatly on the viscosity of the silicone, which is increased with increase in the degree of polymerization of the silicone.
In general, silicones are low in solubility in various kinds of oily materials. For example, silicones are insoluble in mineral oils, animal and vegetable oils, and almost all the synthetic esters, particularly, synthetic esters represented by fatty acid esters used in cosmetics. It is known that silicones have a solubility in some substances including isopropyl palmitate and isopropyl myristate as well as isoparaffin and cyclic silicones. However, isopropyl palmitate and isopropyl myristate leaves problems in terms of irritant action and stability. On the other hand, isoparaffin is accompanied by odor which is considered to be derived from the degree of refining. Further, the cyclic silicone is not satisfactory in terms of safety.
Under the circumstances, it is of high concern to develop a agent for dissolving silicones without bringing about the above-noted difficulties inherent in the prior art. It is also of high concern to develop a solubilizing agent for making silicones soluble in an oily material which can hardly dissolve the silicones.